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Wednesday, 1 December 2010

Why do some people develop serious health problems under stress while some lucky ones do not? The answer lies in understanding the concept of 'hardiness'. There are three crucial aspects which are collectively named as 'hardiness'. The first of these refers to control, which is concerned with people's belief that they can influence events in their lives. Second aspect of hardiness is to do with commitment, which is people's involvement in the events, activities and relationships in their lives. The third characteristic of hardiness refers to challenge, which is a tendency to view changes as incentives and a crisis as an opportunity for growth rather than a threat to security.

Research clearly shows that hardy people are healthier and are less likely to become anxious under pressure. As a result, the spiraling effect through which stress can lead to illness will be avoided. The three characteristics of control, commitment and challenge are the most important traits, which people should enhance in their lives to safeguard against the harmful effects of stress.

If a person dear to us is seriously ill, we would not mind inconvenience to ourselves to be available for them as support. The physical stress or the hardship matters in the least because we feel a strong sense of commitment. This sense of commitment or passion for something can build resilience in a person and create a buffer to effects of stress.

Studies on hardy people have shown that they have healthier pasts, many activities involving social service and personal growth. In an era where stress is becoming a way of life, hardiness would make a world of difference to people's health.

I realize that set backs are a part of the game. I have had them, I have them now and I have got plenty more ahead of me. Seeing this 'The big picture puts it all into perspective no matter how bad things get.'

Useful Tips

Develop a variety of interest and travel different places

Learn to clearly prioritize, based on your level of satisfaction

Visualize successful outcomes for your actions

Try to be passionate about what you do

Pick one of the above tips and start implementing it in your lifestyle for better mental hygiene.

If you thought it was helpful and would like to see some more articles like this in future, please mail your comments at health@2mpower.in.

Monday, 1 November 2010

Today health is the most written or advertized subject in India. Every magazine, newspaper, commercials etc. are flooded with information on health and wellbeing. This is a good indication of increasing socio-economic strata of Indian population. However not necessarily that average Indian is getting healthier! On the contrary, one in every five Indian is suffering today from lifestyle diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus or cardio-vascular disorder).WHO studies have painted grim picture for India in the near future.

My question to you is, Is staying healthy such an arduous task, that India will lose $250 billion in productivity by 2020?

My team has been writing articles on varied health topics in the last fifteen months, covering mental, vital and physical aspects.

Let me share with you some health mantra, which will be handy when you are about to make an excuse to skip your health regimen.

Health mantra 1: There is a saying 'Every day you do one of the two things - either you build health or manufacture disease. Remember this phrase, paste it at frequently visited locations.

Health mantra 2: Do not follow copybook style of health regimen. Pick and choose to integrate with your lifestyle. What doesn't suit you, will never stick with you anyway.

Health mantra 3: Enjoy and relish your customized health plan. Start simple and add in steps. Do NOT keep targets/goals to achieve. They will happen with time.

Friday, 1 October 2010

"Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dine like a Pauper" is a very famous proverb. Most of us know that, but our current lifestyle defeats our intentions.'World Heart Day' has many articles in the newspaper, magazines, and web sites on how to protect your heart with healthy lifestyle changes. I found one common thing in all of them, the mention of oats as the heart healthy food. This prompted me to write something on the breakfast, its importance and options available.

Benefits of eating breakfast everyday

1.After 8-10 hours of not eating anything at night, the body, especially brain needs to replenish the glucose/energy in the morning. According to a research, those who skip breakfast may feel tired, irritable or restless in the morning.

2.A Harvard study of more than 17,000 men found that those who frequently ate breakfast cereal consistently weighed less than those who rarely or never ate breakfast cereal.

3.Studies in children have shown that consumption of a nutritious breakfast results in sharper working memory, better problem solving skills, and improved concentration.

What should an ideal breakfast consist of?

25 percent of the day's calorie should come from breakfast. An ideal breakfast should have proteins and micro nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fibre. Let's review some of the options available:

1.Muesli/oats - Muesli are very popular breakfast item. Its energy content satisfies the nutrition requirement when taken with skimmed milk (protein source) and fresh fruits (micronutrients).

2.Idli and dosa - popular south Indian dish but lacks in sufficient fibre. It would be good to start the breakfast with fruits followed by idli/dosa with sambar/chutney

3.Upma - there are varieties of upma prepared, most of them with semolina which is energy rich. However Upma prepared with broken wheat (protein source) and vegetables (micronutrients) is more filling than that prepared from fine grained semolina/rawa.

4.Sandwiches - prepared with vegetables/shredded chicken and brown/multigrain bread is a good option. Restrict on cheese if you are looking for weight loss.

5.Bread omelets - is a high protein breakfast food and very much recommended especially for children, athletes and those who are involved in heavy workouts. However people with high cholesterol or any heart problems should prepare the omelets only with egg white.

6.Stuffed parathas - if prepared with less oil, parathas are very nutritious and an ideal breakfast item. The stuffing can be anything ranging from potatoes, radish, cauliflower, sprouted green gram (moong), and paneer (prepared from skimmed milk) and so on.

Breakfast means Break the Fast. There is no better way to kick start your morning than to have a wholesome and nutritious breakfast. With many options available, be creative, enjoy your first meal for good health forever!

New Launch

2mpower haslaunched a bouquet of services which includes onetime consultation, complete health assessment, and health management program for six/twelve months. Please enrollto add life to your years! Log on to our website www.2mpower.in for more details. Please write to me if you have any comments on this article at: health@2mpower.in

Friday, 10 September 2010

After a good month of Ramadaan, it is time for all of us to celebrate. Celebrate the successful completion of fasting, which reinforced the practice of austerity. Austerity of our body as well as our soul.

I am really happy to hear from most of our members that the guidelines we had published on nutrition and physical exercise was beneficial, and you all saw immediate benefit of it.

As you may have noticed, what we have explained in those guidelines is the scientific reason of Do's & Don'ts. Or in other words, we made you AWARE. And once you are AWARE, it is easy for you to ACT on it.

Let me share an interesting story with you:

Once two angels were debating, "What if God can give brain to machineries humans have made?" Just like artificial intelligence and neural networks, scientists are working on.

One angel said that it will doom the world faster than it is destined for. Other one said that it will make world much simpler place to live.

First angel argument was that once thinking power is bestowed on machineries, they will start misbehaving. Car will indulge not only in petrol, but start devouring more exotic fuels. Computers will form a union, and will shut down on public holidays. And cardiac machines will not agree with doctor on Angiogram, because it will know that doctor has prescribed it for commission. Hence the world will be chaotic.

Second angel argument was that once thinking powers are given, it will take the load away from humans, which will reduce the stress levels, and hence better harmony will be restored.

Ramadaan reinforces the habit of restraints. It is up to us how far we would like to extend this - as a way of life, or just limited to a month.

I request each one of you to ENJOY the festivities which follows, with complete AWARENESS. Do not indulge in exotic fuels; your body is NOT designed for it.

Food to devour after Ramadaan ;

Fruits,

High fiber cereals for complex carbohydrate, and

Baked/tandoor non-vegetarian food without rich gravy

You are not insulting your guests, if you serve fruits or whole wheat bread sandwich, instead of fried foods or double-decker Sirkhoorma. And small portions are desirable, as your guest will make many more such visits to near and dear ones.

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Fasting is an integral part of many of the major religions including Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Many are dubious as to whether the physiological effects are as beneficial as the spiritual ones as promoted by these religions. This article which is an extract from Will Carroll's research paper is an attempt to raise awareness on possible physiological benefits that may result from fasting.

Definition: Fasting technically commences when the carbohydrate stores in the body begin to be used as an energy source. The fast will continue as long as fat and carbohydrate stores are used for energy. Once protein stores begin to be depleted for energy (resulting in loss of muscle mass), a person is technically starving.

Physiological Response: Due to the lack of incoming energy, body reduces the core body temperature by slowing down metabolic rate and general bodily functions. It turns to its own resources for energy, a function called autolysis. Autolysis is the breaking down of fat stores in the body in order to produce energy. The liver is in charge of converting the fats into a chemical called a ketone body, and then distributing it via the blood stream. When this fat utilization occurs, free fatty acids are released into the blood stream and are used by the liver for energy.

Detoxification is a normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph glands, and skin. This process is enhanced by fasting. Undesirable chemicals (like DDT, BHA, Sodium Benzoate, Polysorbate-80 etc.) which body absorbs through environment or through consumption of various food items, are stored in fat reserves of body. During fasting the body turns to fat reserves for energy. In the process it releases these chemicals from the fatty acids into the system which are then eliminated through the aforementioned organs.

Healing Process is precipitated as body search for energy sources and conserves intelligently. During fasting energy is diverted away from the digestive system and towards the metabolism and immune system. Abnormal growths within the body, like tumors, cyst, fibroids etc. do not get the necessary support of the body's supplies and therefore are more susceptible to autolysis. Production of protein for replacement of damaged cells occurs more efficiently. A higher efficiency in protein synthesis results in healthier cells, tissues and organs. Efficiency in hormone production significantly improves during fasting, hence releasing growth hormones and anti-aging hormones.

Feeling of Rejuvenation and extended Life Expectancy is contributed by slower metabolic rate, more efficient protein production, an improved immune system and the increased production of hormones, including anti-aging hormone. A study performed in 1930's on earthworms demonstrated the extension of life due to fasting. The experiment isolated one worm and put that on a cycle of fasting and feeding. The isolated worm outlasted its relatives by 19 generations, while still maintaining its youthful physiological traits. The life-span extension of these worms was the equivalent of keeping a man alive for 600 to 700 years.

In conclusion, there are many reasons to consider fasting as a benefit to one's health. The body rids itself of the toxins that have built up in our fat stores throughout the years. The body heals itself, repairs all the damaged organs. And finally there is good evidence to show that regulated fasting contributes to longer life. There are still many schools of thoughts among healthcare practitioners. Some deny these points and claim that fasting is detrimental to one's health. Though it is a moot point, society has come to view fasting as essential to our survival, spiritually or physiologically.

Tuesday, 10 August 2010

Subject: Important Guidelines on Nutrition and Exercise during Ramadan Month

Ramadan month is designed for purification of soul and body. Scientifically it is proven that Ramadan fasting helps in detoxification of body, as well as strengthening and nourishing of body organs. Twelve to fourteen hours of complete fasting gives ample time to build damaged tissues. Hence it is important that you consume appropriate type of food and do moderate physical exercise, which can help your body to perform its rejuvenation task.

Pre-preparation before the start of Ramadan

Meet your doctor to find out whether it is medically safe for you to fast during Ramadaan. You can also inquire regarding the medications that you have been taking, whether it can be taken in the non-fasting hours.

At least a week before Ramadan, eat a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Try to avoid having excessive fried stuffs and rich sweets. There is no need to increase your calorie intake beforehand. Instead, you need to consume foods which are less spicy and oily to prepare your body for long fasting hours.

Cut down on the intake of coffee/tea at least 2-3 days before fasting. Sudden stopping of such drinks may lead to withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, headache etc.

Also ensure good fluid consumption to keep your body sufficiently hydrated and ready for fasting.

Include some stretches and low intensity strengthening exercise to prepare your body for long praying hours.

Nutritional Advice

Sihouri (early morning meal) ‚ As body has to be without any water for the next twelve hours, it is important that we consume those food items, which are rich in water and vitamins, and have less requirement for complex digestion. Any food which has complex digestion cycle will produce enough acid after digestion, and will be the cause for heart burn during the day. You have to remember that our body can stay without food for 5-6 weeks, but cannot function without water even for 5 days. Hence, during fasting when you feel tired or weak, it is due to dehydration and not due to lack of food. This background will help you understand why certain food items are not advisable for Sihouri.

4. A bowl of curd (preferably prepared at home) with its water, which has good bacteria for digestion

5. Whole wheat bread or homemade roti (with very less oil). If you cannot do without oil, we suggest using Olive oil.

6. Sometime you can have egg white ‚ poached or cooked with very less oil for a variety

7. Steamed rice

8. Lentil prepared without tadka

9. Soup with green vegetables or boiled chicken (breast)

10. Tea/Coffee ‚ preferably 50-50 with water and milk

11. Consume a glass or two of water 15-20 min after sihouri or 15-20 min before sihouri.

Food to restrict:

Meat/Kheema

Fried eggs with yolk

White bread or maida roti

Biryani or Pulao rice

Cream, Cheese, butter

Iftaar (breaking fast in the evening) ‚ Body has been without any solid food or liquid for the past twelve hours. Hence, it is expecting quick energy consumption for rejuvenation. Hence, please avoid breaking fast with those food items which will put your body on complex task of digestion.

Recommended food items:

1. Break your fast with dates, figs and a glass of juice (preferably freshly squeezed) or just a glass of plain warm water.

2. Give your body 30-45 min before consuming solid food.

3. You may drink 2-3 glass of warm water during this period, but not just before the meal

6. Consume sweets after the meal. If taken before meal, it kills your appetite by excess sugar in the blood

7. Drink 2-3 glass of water 45min after your meal

8. Enjoy a hot cup of tea/coffee

Food to moderate/avoid:

Excessive fried foods

Meat ‚ as this takes long time for digestion (8-12 hours!), and demands water to neutralize acids

Too much sweets as this kills appetite and interferes with sleep pattern

Spicy preparation as this consumes body water for neutralization, hence dehydrate you during the day

And, finally avoid large quantity of food at one time. Eat in interval of 2-3 hours.

Exercise guidelines

To detoxify your body totally, along with fasting some amount of physical exercise is a must as it will help to remove all the toxins from peripheral part of your body though lymphatic circulatory system. A few stretches coupled with low intensity exercise in the morning (two hours after morning meal)will keep you energetic throughout the day.

Sunday, 1 August 2010

One cold Sunday morning when you wake up and see yourself in the mirror, you realize that you are 15-20KG overweight!! Ooops! L What have I done to myself? Finding no good answer, you hit the gym from the next day. As soon as you enter the gym, the first question to the trainer is: How soon can I get to proper size?

With preconceived notions of becoming Cameron Diaz or Tom Cruise, you jump into a strenuous exercise regime, without having your fitness assessed and your muscular strength measured. After a sincere and strenuous first exercise session, you feel good. You are on the path you started on with full zest. Thanks to ENDORPHIN rush! Next day, you don't make it to the gym! Hey‚ what happened? You are down with Muscle Fever. The scientific name of this conditionis Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

What is Muscle Fever?

It is a condition (side effect) in which the muscles are tired after 24 - 48 hours of sudden unaccustomed physical activity. The patho - physiology of soreness depicts minor tear to the cell membrane as well as the muscle fibers and the connective tissue. The muscle soreness depends upon the intensity of muscle contraction and frequency, duration and type of muscle activity.

Normally the pain subsides within two to three days without any special treatment.

Involve in to very low intensity exercise program to keep moving your blood circulation. Light cardio for 10 minutes followed by stretches will help to reduce muscle soreness.

If pain is associated with swelling, apply ice pack/ice cubes wrapped in the towel to the area of pain for 7- 10 minutes. If possible, keep affected area in elevated position for 2-3 days.

If the pain persists for more than 7 days, it is better to take advice from doctor

Tips to prevent DOMS -

Start your work-out with five minutes of on the spot walking or marching at moderate intensity. Else you should warm up the muscle you want to work on. Warming up is a must for people starting exercising after a long gap

Divide your exercise regimen into:

- Strength training + flexibility exercises for three days/week

- High intensity aerobic exercises for the remaining days

Progressively increase the intensity and duration of your exercises

Make sure that your exercise regimen is designed by your physiotherapist or a certified personal trainer

Before starting your exercise protocol, make sure that you have undergone complete physiotherapy assessment

Thursday, 1 July 2010

20% of success is the mechanics of achievement; the other 80% comes from your attitude or psychology. The how to element isn't the problem. It is how receptive we are to change & personal growth that determines how far we can go or successful we can be.

How is this possible? By rewiring our mind! An actual psychic surgery!! Dissolving the blocks within!!!

The opportunity for such a transformation lies in a place called the edge i.e. living slightly outside the inner comfort zone we have set for ourselves. The edge is as much about our psychological approach as it is our physical potential.

How can we step up to this edge?

There are 7 simple principles to remember and follow which will help you in this endeavor.

1. Life happens in the PRESENT moment. Memories, fantasies are lovely but they lead us no where except into the past which no longer exists or the future which does not exist yet. Let's learn to live in present and cherish it wholeheartedly.

2. When you TUNE into the present moment, you rein your focus back from the distractions happening around you. This directional change from the outward to the inward helps you to become more in tune with your strengths within.

4. If you do what you ‚have always done, you'll get what you've always gotten. If you want to go beyond where you are i.e. to change your habits, attitude, approach etc., you need to EXCEED or extend yourself. The irony of exceeding yourself is that it usually happens after you have perceived failure. Only when extending yourself is created as a need in your mind, will you be able to do so.

5. Analytical paralysis is the ego's way of keeping you rooted in your intellect rather than your spirit. But when you drop your brain, you actually give your body & soul a chance to shine and yourself to grow. When you let go mentally, you are giving yourself a phenomenal chance to step up to the edge. The most important muscle to cultivate is the ‚letting go muscle. It is the hardest one to locate but most essential to develop for growth and success.

6. When we encounter situations, the fight or flight mechanism is activated and we gear up to do battle or flee the scene. But there is a 3rd option and that is just to STAY AND BREATHE. If you start to see a reaction rising and feel your emotional feathers ruffled, step back from yourself, watch your breath and feel the reaction dissipate. Halting your cycle of reactiveness allows you to have a perspective shift, so that you have a chance to respond in better and more positive ways.

7. Don't try hard! Try easy!!! Trying hard invites strain and struggle. You are using your willpower which comes from the intellect and it is a brute force. Trying easy gives you the levity and freedom to fly. It is a deep sense of letting go - not of the effort but the struggle which creates tension, constraints and limits the mind. Your ego is in it and you are probably driven by ambition that creates imbalance and suffering.

Tuesday, 1 June 2010

Though we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, the cover does a lot in the selling. A desk can provide a glimpse into the inner workings of the mind, and provide the (innocent?) observer with many clues to the character and habits of the co-worker.

Like those impressions that we never get to make a second time, these little things will speak volumes to those around you, so perhaps it's time to project a better image. A messy desk, however, is a tough nut to crack.

Psychologists have equated a messy desk to a messy mind. Our inner and outer worlds reflect each other. If you have too much stuff, or your stuff is disorganized, it's highly likely that your mental and emotional states will be cluttered and disorganized.

In this day and age we have inboxes, computers, telephones, cell phones, calendars, and personal stuff on the desk at the same time. This only leads to clutter and chaos, leaving us anxious and stressed. Clearing your desk therefore is like clearing your mind. If you are looking at just one thing on your desk, work on it until it is finished and then go on to the next thing. You will be far more productive and more accurate, because your attention is focused on just one task at a time. As Benjamin Franklin said, "For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned. A clear desk helps relieve your mind of mental noise.

Some suggested techniques for keeping your desk clear are:

Store the information and materials you use most often within easy reach - perhaps in your right-hand desk drawer (if you are right-handed).

Put things away as soon as you stop working on them. If you are working on something and get interrupted, try posting a sticky note on the page, jot your thoughts down on it, then file it. That will help you resume your train of thoughts more quickly when you get back to it again.

Discard drafts of anything you write. You'll never look at them again anyway, so why keep them around? Some people discard all but one digital draft of anything they write.

Don't keep business cards. Enter the info you need into a contact manager and toss the card.

Keep a to-do list close at hand, preferably sorted by category (Do, Call, Write, etc.). Update it at the end of each day. You would have accomplished probably 10 or 15 things that you weren't even aware of and that in itself makes you feel great by the end of the day.

Set up a filing system. Many people feel more secure when all their active projects are in sight, but that doesn't mean everything has to be strewn across your desk. You can label the files as HOT files (current projects and reports), WORK files (information that is used frequently) and ARCHIVES (files that are not being used but are important).

Plan your day. A short daily session to review each day's accomplishments, and a weekly plan to track your goals a week or two ahead of time, can be of great help. Planning helps prevent many of the fires that cause our days to spin out of control.

The TRAF System:

To organize your paperwork, you can make only four decisions: Toss it, Refer it, Act on it personally, or File it.

Toss: Look at the papers carefully once. If you don't need them or have a back up, then toss them. If you're not certain whether you should, ask yourself if you can find a duplicate in the unlikely event you'll need them.

Refer: This is about sharing information with someone else. To make it easier, make a file folder for each of the people you frequently interact with - your boss, your assistant and a few co-workers, and drop the referral documents in each person's folder as you come across them. When you have time, pull out one of the folders and cover several things at once with the person.

Act: This is the category for all the notes, memos and mail you receive that you need to personally respond to in some way. Keep all your action papers in one place and schedule some time each day to deal with them.

File: File-as-you-go is the best way to prevent a build-up of articles and material. Remember to keep the headings clear and easy to remember. It's the small decisions you make that often have the most effect on your time management, efficiency and productivity. In fact, if you spend 15 minutes a day TRAFing the current day's incoming mail, memos and faxes, you'll soon gain mastery over the clutter.

Saturday, 1 May 2010

I have a very simple question to ask. What do you do when you have a heart burn which seems to be increasing day by day and does not go away even after taking some antacids???

Well the most obvious thing to do is go to a doctor and pop some pills and that takes care of the heart burn!

Well after 15 days, heart burn is back but now it is accompanied with head ache. So what do you do now? Go back to the doctor? Take some more pills?

Where did we go wrong?The answer is very simple, instead of treating the root cause of the problem; we have been treating the symptom all along!!!

You would be surprised to know that there is more than one reason for heart burn. It can be as follows:1. Improper dietary habits - Nutrition2. Sedentary lifestyle - Physiotherapist3. Inability to cope with stress - Psychologist4. Clinical condition like dyspepsia or gastro-esophageal reflux disease - Clinician

If we can identify the root cause, we would be able to take care of the heart burn problem and can prevent it from recurring.

So how do we do that? Do we have time to meet each expert? Even if we do, can we make these experts to talk and give the common solution. Nope:). So we resort to quick fix - Gelusil or any other symptom relief medicine.You wonder if there can be a utopian place, which can have experts and can give holistic solutions for all your health concerns! Yes, there is one such place in Bangalore. That place, which I call a third space, is 2mpower. Read on to know more about 2mpower, What it is? What it is not??

What 2mpower is NOT!It is NOT a fitness centre or a gym. It is NOT a slimming centre or beauty salon. It is NOT a clinic or a diagnostic centre. And it is NOT a spa or instant rejuvenation centre.

And what 2mpower is?

It is a centre for holistic health management, focused on assessment, management and control of health risk factors thereby improving your health asset.

This sounds good, but how 2mpower can help manage my health risks?

In 2mpower centre, team of competent healthcare experts from the field of medicine, nutrition, physiotherapy and psychology work as ONE team to assess the individual health. The assessment includes complete clinical checkup with biochemical and diagnostic tests, followed by detailed consultation with health experts in the four fields as mentioned above. Based on in-depth information and family history, healthcare experts identify key health risk areas and long term goals. This is used to design personalized care plan with short term approaches for effective month-on-month execution, measurement and review.

Approach is definitely unique, but how it is made effective and doable?

Each client has assigned health coach. Initial monthly plans are designed keeping in mind client's motivation levels and culture. Focus is on education, so that client appreciates the reason behind care plan design. Psychological inputs are used to effectively trigger and encourage the compliance on care plans. Health coach regularly shares the progress analysis of client activity history. This is effectively used to improvise as well as motivate for next level.

It sounds like what we use to have in old days?

Yes, at 2mpower, health asset is improved by enhancing self healing capacity of human body. Medicine is minimized by encouraging intake of good nutrition. Support is provided for effective physical exercise through trained physiotherapist. Doctor relies on family history, medical records and effective clinical analysis for identifying root cause of any illness. The psychologist help in managing work-life balance and inculcating behavioral modifications as desired.

How old is 2mpower setup and how many clients 2mpower has?

2mpower is conceived by senior folks from corporate world, who have seen neglect of health due to work pressure and improper guidance. Senior folks from healthcare industry with combined experience of 200 man years are fuelling this organization. It has completed three quarters with 50 retail clients and one corporate client. Read what our client has to say about us:

-“I joined the program since I felt that the time had come to take charge of my health since my weight was on a higher side. After I joined the program, I was diagnosed as diabetic and was immediately put on a diet and exercise plan with minimal medication. The plans given by the care team was practical, easy to adhere and really blended with my culture. 2mpower team ensures regular monitoring & follow up which is something very good especially for a professional like me. With the amount of follow ups and consultations I feel that the program is very cost effective and has met my expectations. I would definitely recommend 2mpower to my family and friends- Mr. Rajendra Kumar-Senior Consultant, InfosysIf you would like to get more details, you can visit the website www.2mpower.in2mpower stands for empowerment of consumers of health. This is a modest effort to help you to take charge of your health through a structured and scientific program before it is too late to enjoy good health forever...

Thursday, 1 April 2010

What do you do when you get common cold or cough or have mild fever? Pop a pill? That seems to be a quick solution to the problem.

What methods our ancestors used to adopt when they used to fall sick? There were no pills available during their time. They used to take natural products to relieve the acute symptoms and then they would leave the rest for the body to heal itself. That may be one of the reasons for their good health and longetivity.

Why are we not following the same process now?

Is it because we want quick fix? Or Are we ignorant? Or do we choose to be ignorant?

I believe we require a space where we can

Be educated in the right way to manage our health

Get a holistic and integrated approach to maintain our health

Long term and sustainable approaches to good health

To be empowered to manage our health in the right way

Since home (family) is the first space and office (work) is the second space in our life, do we really have that third space which can bring about a revolution in our lifestyle?

The Third Space

Thomas Parr, an Englishman in seventeen century lived for 152 years and an autopsy revealed that his organs were as healthy as the day he was born.

The very existence of healthy, vigorous centenarians in ancient time proves that the potential duration of human existence exceeds 100 years and longevity can be achieved without modern medicine. It can be argued that ability to reach a very old age requires a certain genetic constitutions, but it is certain that it depends even more on the ways of life.

Dr. Alexander Leaf of Harvard Medical School has made extensive clinical and social observations on very old people in several parts of the world. He suggests that longevity is correlated with a rather frugal diet but of well balanced composition, vigorous and continued physical activity, and involvement in community affairs to the end of one's life.

Medicine is the only science, which has to be practiced in an art form. Hippocrates, the first major historical name in medicine, was both a theoretician and practitioner. He insisted that it is natural for a human body to heal itself, and that this process can generally take place even without the intervention of a physician. He defined physician as one who support the body and mind functions of patient to work towards fighting illness and avoid any treatment that might interfere with the healing process or that might do harm. Human brain has a natural drive to sustain the life process and to potentiate the entire body in the fight against disease and pain.

Pain reminded me on how we Indians are transforming from pain bearers to the most pain conscious people. Any hint of pain is to be banished as though it were the ultimate evil. As a result, we are becoming the nation of pill grabbers and hypochondriacs. Ignorance about pain is costing us our life. We can rattle off the names of at least dozen drugs that can deaden the pain. Ninety percent of pain is self limiting and not always an indication of poor health. But it is a result of tension, stress, worry, idleness, frustration, overeating, inadequate exercise, suppressed rage, or any other form of abuses encountered in modern society. Best way to eliminate pain is to eliminate the abuse. Not only are we ignorant about the nature of pain, our ignorance about the way pain-killing drugs work is worse. These drugs conceal the pain without correcting the underlying condition. They deaden the mechanism in the body that alerts the brain to the fact that something may be wrong.

Every individual must accept a certain measure of responsibility for his or her own Good Health as well as a recovery from a disease condition. Human mind has a natural ability to mobilize the body's capacity to combat illness. We need to create environment so that disease should leave us rapidly because it found so little hospitality inside our body. So use doctor's geniuses in helping you use your own powers, and mobilize your own natural healing resources. At 2mpower, we believe in this philosophy. Consider it as the third space in your life where you can get an integrated and holistic approach towards good health.

Monday, 1 March 2010

There is an English proverb which says -“Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork."

This seems to be a true statement since that is what all of us seem to be doing these days. Even though consciousness about health has increased to certain extent, it still does not seem to be the number one priority. And the reason behind it is WORK, WORK and more WORK.

Economic growth has increased the job opportunities but has lead to other lifestyle changes. Such changes include increased amount of stress, irregular meal timings, spending less quality time with family or for ourselves.

Earlier times there were not so much of work pressure, only men in the family used to go out and work. But these days every adult both men and women aregoing for work and family earnings have multiplied. In the present day of such busy schedules are we really eating well and taking care of our health?

Well the question is left for you to ponder!!!

In this issue we will be giving some tips on how to maintain a proper diet essentially for people who are working/spending long hours in office.

Let's now concentrate on our food pyramid, does this looks very familiar??? Have you been following the same food style at office?

Well most of us follow this pyramid -skipping or having meals which are not balanced, having more of coffee to keep us going!!!...

This continues and eventually it leads to problems such as indigestion, heart burn, gastric trouble, decreased immunity, nagging cough and cold which does not go away easily and so on!!!.

Some unfortunate ones may also end up being diagnosed with high blood pressure/diabetes/kidney stones/high cholesterol and so on.

The money that we earn is eventually spent on doctors, hospitals, labs and pharmacies.

There are few tips which will help you to manage your diet even during that busy schedule. But remember, a little effort and commitment from your side can go a long way in ensuring good health!

Some options which people who are hard pressed for time can incorporate into their daily routine -

Early morning - always start your day with two glasses of warm water. This would help in cleaning the digestive system reducing the problem of acidity.

One fresh fruit (can be taken from home like a small bunch of grapes/orange/1small banana)

1 multigrain biscuit

1 small cup of tea (avoid having black tea/coffee since this would increase acidity), one can include green tea/lemon tea along with 2 marie biscuit

2 dates + 1 glass buttermilk

2 multigrain biscuit + 1 fresh fruit ( both can be carried from home)

1 wheat bread sandwich without cheese

1 subway made with vegetables and multigrain bread (without mayonnaise as dressing for vegetables)

Puffed rice / regular popcorn

1 small cup of cooked corn

2 slices of wheat bread with ½ tsp of jam

2 idlis + sambar (no chutney)

1 plain dosa + sambar/veg curry.

Normal meal of chapathi with veg curry/dhal and curd.

Soups with 2 multigrain bread slices/chapathis with dhal/veg

Midmorning - always good to have a midmorning snack to prevent hunger pangs during the lunch time and also to prevent any gastric trouble. Include one of the following:

Lunch - should always begin with a salad followed by cereals, vegetables, dhal and curd. It is advisable not to drink water during your meals since this would dilute the gastric juices and affect the process of digestion. Drink water 30min before and 30min after the food intake.

Evening snack - can be a cup of tea/coffee with one of the following snacks

Dinner - should be had before 9pm and should include salads along with one of the following:

Few suggestions!!!

To avoid the gastric/heart burn problem make sure you don't have long gap between two meals. If you are getting ready to go for a meeting which will go beyond your meal timings then make sure you a small snack before you go.

Do not have late dinners, this will not only lead to heart burn but will also increase your body weight. If you have to stay back at the office then, have something heavy in the evening (like a sandwich/idlis/plain dosa/subway). Once you are back home restrict yourself to a fruit bowl with a glass of buttermilk or soups and salads.

If you are travelling most of the time then take in plenty of fluids like buttermilk, coconut water, rasam along with salads, dhal and wheat roti. For non-vegetarians, you can go for chicken/fish which has not been fried.

With a proper diet and exercise, we can go a long way in maintaining our health. Hope this issue of newsletter has helped to clear your doubts. Remember, -“A stitch in time saves nine". If you have any more queries or want more diet related information specific t o your health condition, you can contact me at 080 41435601 or mail me at health@2mpower.in

Sunday, 31 January 2010

Do you suffer from Back ache and stiff shoulders? Do your eyes strain? Do your knees ache? Yes? So, how would you deal with it? Let us analyze the cause and understand the simple but effective preventive measures!

We always feel that the pain occurs only due to some degenerative or chronic condition and immediately rush to the doctor. After few days of medication, again the pain recurs. At times, pain can also recur due to the prolonged and static postures which inhibit blood circulation and take a toll on your body.

Why is there a recurring pain?

Pain in the back, stiffness in the shoulders and knee pain can also occur due to improper postural alignment, sitting stationary for long hours and undue stress at your work place.

What should we do to avoid such pain?

An ergonomic desk set up and proper working posture would help to minimize your recurrent Nagging pain.

Ergonomic Guidelines

- To avoid eye strain, position your Monitor within the comfortable viewing position, i.e. at or below eye level and within your 60 degree viewing field (50 to 75cms from eyes).

- To Position source documents in line with your screen and no more to 35 degree on either side, to avoid excessive bending of your neck and back.

- Place the input devices within the recommended area to avoid strain on your wrists, arms and hands.

- Shoulders and arms are roughly perpendicular to the floor; elbows are held close to the sides

- Thighs should be parallel to the floor and lower legs perpendicular to it. The lower part of the chair should be designed 25 degrees inclined upwards to support the thigh.

- Space under the desk should allow the legs to move and stretch

-“A healthy mind in a healthy body" - this saying is very true for the computer users. While working on the computer, your body is at rest and gets typically no type of exercise. This increases the risk of obesity and many other ailments. So, to eliminate future health risk and recurring pain, ergonomic exercises should also be inculcated along with improved postural habits.

By exercising, the muscle starts working again from their stationary condition. This increases the blood circulation, flexibility of the shortened muscles and even strength of the muscle, making you feel more energized. It also reduces the risk of medical problems like Repetitive stress injury, Cumulative trauma disorder, computer vision syndrome and even deep vein thrombosis. Most recently, studies have reported the increasing dangers of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) among office workers, IT employees and even cab drivers who habitually remain sitting for too long.

Ergonomic Exercise

I would like to share few Simple and Refreshing Exercises to keep you energized all day long. Follow it regularly at your micro breaks or even at your lunch break, before having lunch. Picture below is self explanatory, however more details are given in text below (reference: Paige Waehner - About.com).

(Diagram 2) Lower back stretch - repetitions on each side, holding period for 10 counts

(Diagram 3) Hip flexion - 10 repetitions on each side

(Diagram 4) Knee extension - 10 repetitions on each side

(Diagram 5) Chair squats - 5 repetitions

(Diagram 6) Biceps strengthening - with 1 litre water bottle, for 10 repetitions on each side

(Diagram 7) Triceps strengthening - with 1 litre water bottle, for 10 repetitions on each side

(Diagram 8) Trunk Bending - side to side bending with overhead shoulder flexion and 1 litre water bottle, for 10 repetitions on each side

This exercise workout does not replace the traditional strength training, but definitely keeps your blood moving if you cannot get away from your desk.

If eyes are not rested, and long hours are spent in front of computers, people may have symptoms like headaches, dry eyes, tearing eyes, pain in and around the eyes, inability to maintain focus, changes in color perception etc. So, along with the above exercises, also perform few EYE EXERCISES like moving your eyes off the screen and refocusing them on a distant object for several seconds. Rotating the eyeballs in left and right direction for 10 repetitions, closing the eyelids as tight as you can and opening them wide for few seconds. This exercise will help to prevent the chances of computer vision syndrome, which is very common with the computer workers.

If work pressure prevents you from doing the above exercises, you should perform the four basic ones, at least twice a day, two minutes each:

Take deep breaths slowly through your nose, holding for a couple seconds before exhaling through the mouth.

Keeping your shoulders relaxed, slowly turn your head first to one side, then center, then to the other side, and keep your head held at each position for three seconds before moving it to the next position.

Roll both shoulders slowly for 10 repetitions.

Move your eyes off the screen and refocusing them on a distant object for several seconds. Blink frequently to keep the eye surface lubricated.

So I hope you will make use of the exercise tips and get rid of that nagging pain.

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

When we think of tea, it is always a freshly boiled tea leaves in milk or water, with a scoop full of sugar! It stimulates, it is a time-pass, and it is a way of life for Indians and people world over.

I am an ardent Indian Tea fan, like most of you, and ready for a cuppa any time. I take 4-5 cups of small quantity of tea in a day.

The desire for tea is satiated after few sips. And few sips are also good enough to give you all the beneficial effects you are looking from it. But we tend to gulp the large quantity served in a cup, overdosing ourselves with sugar and milk, and hence once again kicks the digestion cycle for complex milk product. Therefore it is important to drink tea in small quantity.Many of you may be drinking Green Tea, as it is well advertised recently. Green tea is made solely with the leaves of Camellia Sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green Tea after meal is a potent solution for most of our day to day problems. It promotes digestion, regulates blood pressure, body temperature and blood sugar, useful for weight loss management and above all eliminates free radicals, which are potent weapons to kill our body cells. Free radicals are produced during digestion process.

Preparation guideline: When preparing green tea, always use filtered cold water and bring it to a rolling boil. Next, allow the water to cool to a temperature somewhere between 80-85 degrees Celsius before you pour it over the tea leaves. (Boiling water usually takes between 30 and 60 seconds to cool to this temperature.) Never use boiling water to prepare your green tea. Water at this temperature will "cook" the leaves and destroy the tea and its flavor, creating a bitter tasting tea. Add a dash of honey, if you so desire.

Friday, 1 January 2010

Clock is ticking for the New Year 2010 to begin. Many of you would already be in a mood to party. This is also a time when new resolutions are made. Many of us have seen these resolutions evaporating in thin air within weeks of its birth many times in the past. It may happen this year too.

Despite of our right intentions and resolve; why we fail to adhere to them?

Let Ameeta Patel (Director & Head Nutrition) help you analyze this. And hopefully you can break the jinx in 2010.

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude - Thomas Jefferson

Re-wiring your Mind - Secrets Revealed!

In any process "Technique is only 20% and the other 80% is the Attitude". That means, 20% of success is the result of actual mechanics of achievement. The other 80% comes from your attitude and thought process. The -how to- element (technique) isn't the problem; it is how receptive we are to growth and change (attitude). This determines how far we can go.

'DEEP AND TRUE CHANGES COME FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND'

By going on a diet or superficially & temporarily altering our habits we are only addressing the symptoms and not the Root of the Matter. Will-power holds the negative actions in check for a while but does not ultimately change the doer. It changes only what you do. The result is a temporary alteration.

Secret:'SHIFT YOUR INNER VIEW POINT AND YOUR WORLD TRANSFORMS'

Einstein had very rightly mentioned 'Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.' When you focus on problems, you get more of the same.

When you make that deep internal shift from your problem solving mind to your truth knowing mind, the search for answers is over. Now the process of more fully accepting and owning what you are has begun. You stop trying to fix yourself and start being yourself. What you focus on, you create.

RE-WIRING YOUR MIND FROM WITHIN IS WHERE IT ALL BEGINS. The actual psychic surgery happens through Surrender to a willingness to see things in a new way.

Where do these opportunities for change lie?

At a place called 'Edge'. Edge is the point when you are still within your capacities but are challenging yourself to go just a little further. Most of us live in an inner comfort zone putting constraints on ourselves. We have all limiting beliefs (blocks) in our minds that hold us back. They fester in the subconscious and moments of opportunities they whisper you can't, too difficult, not possible etc.

Secret:Push yourself just little further than Edge. Identify the blocks within, work on dissolving them. This is done by adopting a new and different way of looking at things and approaching to solve them.

Doubt your doubts and they vanish;Feel your fears and they fade;Let go your worries and they fail to materialize;Life is all about letting go;It's all about our attitude towards life.

Let's begin the New Year with this new endeavor and a positive attitude towards Healthy Living!

With this happy note Team 2mpower would like to wish its Members and Well Wishers Season's Greetings and a Very Happy New Year 2010